Employee will either increase or decrease the profitability of your business.

It’s a fact of life that every employee will either make you money or cost you money.

If you want to avoid employing super depressives, psychopaths, nymphomaniacs, dishonest reprobates, cheats, scoundrels and lazy-good-for-nothings people, then here are a few nuggets I have picked up along the way.

So here’s the ten million dollar question – how do you identify the winners from the losers, the right people from the wrong people?

It’s not easy but it becomes a lot simpler when you realise there are only three categories of employee:

People who work against your business.

People who work for your business.

People who work with your business.

People who work hard against your business have a few recognisable characteristics:

They are always happy to lend a listening ear to moaners and groaners.

They often have a hidden agenda.

They are lazy but they are good at making themselves look busy.

They sabotage success.

They undermine successful colleagues by gossiping behind their backs.

They tend to run in packs with others just like them.

Let’s now move onto the second category – employees who work for your business.

They just want to get paid for doing the job but their hearts are not in it.

Employees who work with the business are the only people you should be hiring.

Here are some of the characteristics of the men and women you should be recruiting:

They are committed.

They always go the extra mile.

They feel responsible and hardworking.

They are loyal and trustworthy.

They love to get involved.

They want you to win.

In short, they know that the more they put into their job, the more they will get out of life and the longer your business will stay in business. That’s what makes them extraordinary.

Next time you are recruiting be determined to hire only extraordinary people with an entrepreneurial spirit.

To ensure you identify these talented people, here are some questions to ask yourself about each candidate you interview:

Will you enjoy working with this individual?

Did they demonstrate an enthusiasm for your company and a passion for the job?

Will they be dedicated to working shoulder-to-shoulder with you to help you achieve your goals?

Will they inspire their colleagues and even you?

Will they be compatible with your team?

Do they have the character to do what it takes?

Will they be loyal through thick & thin?

Will your customers and clients like them?

Will they be industrious and hard working?

Will they be ambitious for the businesses success?

If you can put a tick in at least nine boxes, you may have found yourself the perfect employee.

There is, however, one more question you might want to ask yourself: “Could they be better than me?”